Opulent Scintilla
by wenjunhui
Summary: [ assassination classroom ] if i could write one letter to you, the only words i would put on the page would be: "you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars."
1. if

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The first time he noticed her was when Koro-sensei was teaching the class about the quadratic formula./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She was standing in the shadow of the doorway, biting her lip. Even from his seat at the back of the room he could see how nervous she was, her hand slightly shaking as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. His honey-gold eyes honed in on her delicate features, inspecting her tidy uniform and the bag slipping off her shoulder./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emPretty/em, he thought to himself./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emPretty but fragile./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Koro-sensei still didn't notice the newcomer even when the shifting eyes of the bored students turned to glance at her. His infuriating bulbous head was still blabbering on about one thing or another. So, to catch the octopus' attention, his quick hand threw a knife at the yellow head./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He, of course, knew that the octopus would get out of the way fast enough to dodge the knife. In less than half a second, Koro-sensei had the knife wrapped up in a clean white tissue. "Karma-kun!" he shrieked, his tentacles floating around everywhere frantically. "You don't throw knives at me when I'm teaching!"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma only smirked./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Sorry, sensei."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"But the shadow of the girl in the doorway had finally caught the teacher's attention and he stopped class for a brief moment. "Ah, are you Y/L/N-san?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She gave a quick nod, glancing away as fast as possible. Her eyes wandered, glimmering in the sunlight, and landed on his. He only stared back at her, tilting his head slightly to the side. Where she was standing made a halo glow on the top of her head. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emInnocent, wasn't she?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Can you introduce yourself to the class?" Koro-sensei asked. He had bobbed his way to her. Y/N took a small step away from him and glanced down at her shoes. "I'm sure everyone would love to get to know you."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm Y/L/N Y/N," she murmured. "I… came from the A Class."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emA Class?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He leaned forward in his desk, propping his chin up with his intertwined hands. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe was from the A Class as well./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Well then, Y/L/N-san, have a seat at the back of the class. Either of the seats in the last row can work." Koro-sensei smoothly slid back to his place in front of the chalkboard and continued the lesson./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma wasn't listening anymore. He was watching the new girl walk down the aisle to sit down on his left side, away from Okajima and his crew. She set down her bag on the floor and sat in her seat, quietly staring off into space./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emInteresting./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She didn't seem to realize he was watching her. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"After what felt like eternity but really was fifteen minutes, Y/N took out a binder and a pencil case from her bag and began doodling. Little ink flowers covered the page and gave the flimsy sheet of paper a sense of floral pizzazz. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It was then that he decided he wanted to do something more than just watch her draw on a piece of paper. Slowly moving his hand to the inside of his jacket, he felt the rubber grip of the anti-sensei knife. It was harmful to his octopus teacher, but harmless to humans. However, Y/N didn't know that./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHow well could she respond to danger?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Don't."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Her soft voice cut through his inner dialogue. His hand froze inside his jacket and he raised his head to see her gazing at him. Now that he was so close to her, he saw the little gold flecks in her eyes that were created by the sun. Her face radiated warmth. At that certain point in time, Karma was sure he had never seen someone so warm and full of life before./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Until he met her eyes./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There was no life to them. If he had seen the sun and the moon and the stars in her eyes before, the constellations were definitely gone by then. Her eyes held a deep, dark sadness to them, one that maybe even he could not comprehend./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Don't throw the knife at me."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He was snapped out of his trance once again by her voice. It cut through the air, cool and clear, like the invisible fish of the old bedtime story 'Nanabush'. Each word was very monotonous, giving her the appearance of a wind-up doll, programmed to say things she was made to say./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy did she sound so… lifeless?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Despite wanting to gauge how fast her reflexes were, his hand retreated from his jacket and back down to his side. Y/N turned away from him once she realized he was not going to play a trick on her. The curtain of her hair cascaded down the side of her face, obscuring his view of her./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For the first time that year, he was confused./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma was never confused. He had always been able to know someone's personality upon one glance at them, yet with Y/N, he had no idea. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe was so unusual./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was that?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""What's your name?" he asked on impulse. "I mean — I know it, but—"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He just barely caught her eyes shifting to him through her hair. "Do you not listen in class?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There was only the slightest edge of humour in her words and he half-smiled. "No, not really. Koro-sensei is boring and I've already learned this material."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm Y/L/N Y/N," she said. She turned her face a bit more to see him clearer and there was the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He could have sworn he saw her eyes twinkle briefly too./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe liked her so much already./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""What's your name?" /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"A grin stretched across his face, wider than he had ever grinned since coming to this dreaded E Class. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You can call me yours."/p 


	2. i

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For the first time since she had arrived at E Class a week ago, she was earlier than him./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Although that wasn't much of an achievement. Karma either came to class half an hour early, or came to class half an hour late. Today was one of his half-an-hour-early days, and he was more than mildly surprised to see Y/N sitting in the spot next to his./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Aren't you an early bird," he commented, lightly holding his bag over his shoulder./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She barely glanced up before busying herself with her textbooks and her writing utensils. "Maybe."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There was a different energy in her today. Whereas the past week she had seemed ominous and mysterious and sad, today she was radiating warmth and joy. It was such an obvious change that he was sure anyone would be able to see the difference in her personality./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Say, how'd you come down to this class, Y/L/N-san?" he set his bag down next to his desk and plopped down in his chair, tilting back on its two hind legs. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N shrugged. "I was too dumb for the A class."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma stilled. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe was lying./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"They had had a quiz last day on quadratic formulas and Y/N had gotten them all right, despite having not learned the lesson from Koro-sensei yet. It was rare that anyone else in the class besides him would get perfect, especially in math./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He didn't press any further./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I see."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Koro-sensei then crashed into the room, sending all Y/N's papers flying off her desk. She let out a soft sigh before getting up and bending down to pick up the flyaway papers. He noticed that she wasn't wearing the proper school uniform. Instead of a grey skirt, she was wearing a black one. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas that a silent act of opposition?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Ah, I'm sorry, Y/L/N-san!" Koro-sensei apologized. He held a coconut with a straw poked into it. "I haven't told you about my super-speed yet. Because I'm always flying around everywhere at Mach 20 speed, it creates a lot of air force after me. I'll try to be more mindful."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N only shook her head. "It's fine."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"When all her papers were collected, and she was sitting back down, Karma leaned over and inspected her homework. Every answer was detailed, with the right amount of evidence shown and all the calculations done right. There was no flaw./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emThen why was she in this class?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Another person entered the classroom. "Oh, hey, Karma-kun, Y/L/N-san," Nagisa greeted. "You two are here early."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I'm always here early, Nagisa-kun," Karma replied, smiling. "I have no idea why you would think otherwise."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The blue-haired boy gave him a smile and laughed. "Totally."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma returned his attention to Y/N and caught her staring at him. Quickly, she turned away. A small fluttering in his chest began to spread outwards, creating a sense of happiness inside of him. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHappy for what, though?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Tilting his head at the unfamiliar feeling, Karma tried to remember the last time he felt so warm inside. Maybe it was when he was five and his parents still played with him in their backyard. Maybe it was when he was eight and still got his parents' kisses. Maybe it was when he was ten and his grandmother bought him a cute puppy to keep as company while his parents were away./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It had been too long./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma expelled the thoughts from his head and tapped Y/N's shoulder. She turned to him, a question in her eyes. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Her eyes refracted differently depending on the light. Last week, there were gold flecks in her eyes. Today, however, her eyes were a kaleidoscope of colours. He could not even see the real colour of her eyes, as it reflected the glassy yellow of the sun outside, the cherry wood of the desk, and his own honey-coloured eyes. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah? What is it?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Even her voice sounded different. It was still the same cool and clear river, but now there was a bit of life to it, as if the river was starting to foam and rush. No longer was she a flat body of water. She was now a bubbling brook./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Another small smirk appeared on his face. "Your hand looks heavy. Let me hold it for you."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N reacted the same way she had the last few times he tried./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She gave him a look of exasperation. "Pick-up lines? Again?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He only shrugged. "You look like someone who needs someone to pick them up, so…"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""That's annoying. Just because I look like someone who needs it doesn't mean I am."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Her mood had changed yet again. Karma could never figure her out. Biting the side of his lower lip, he nodded and looked down at his papers. All of them were filled in correctly and he had no qualms about whether he would get perfect or not./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat was it with her?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;" Finally, Koro-sensei broke the silence of the class and began to teach. Y/N raised her head to the chalkboard and began to write notes down. Karma idly flipped a green knife in his hands as he alternated between staring at Y/N and at the board./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Every so often, he would catch her smile drooping a few millimetres more than the previous second. She looked so… so sad, and he wanted to help her./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"No one else noticed./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Only he did./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emMaybe she needed a friend. Or moral support./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"They did another quiz that day, on the histories of some scientists who were famous for their contribution to the discovery of the atom. As she had last day, Y/N got perfect. So did he./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Okay, and class, remember, there's a big test tomorrow! Y/L/N-san, if you don't want to take the test, it's fine. I'll reschedule it for you another time," Koro-sensei concluded./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N shook her head. "No, it's fine. I can take it tomorrow."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHuh./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She was the first out of the classroom when Koro-sensei dismissed them all. The ends of her hair was the last thing Karma saw of her before she disappeared./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"As everyone left, Karma stayed behind. He wrote a small message on a sticky-note, signing it 'red devil'. Then, he tucked the sticky-note on the side of the desk, in a place where no one but she would see it./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emIf she wasn't going to allow him to verbally support her, he would support her via words./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"A satisfied smile came over his face and he left the room to go home./p 


	3. could

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He was watching her reaction./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"To make sure he didn't miss out on her initial face when seeing the note, he got to class even earlier than Koro-sensei. In fact, the yellow octopus was just about to unlock the door when Karma popped up from outside. To say it gave Koro-sensei a fright was an understatement./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Karma-kun, you don't just sneak up on people!" he shrieked, waving his tentacles around. "What if I actually got hurt?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma rolled his eyes. "Then I would be able to kill you, and get the ten billion dollars."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Koro-sensei's head turned a bright orange, with a red circle in the middle. "Correct! My teaching really hasn't gone to waste!"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma rushed inside the classroom and sat down as casually as he could in his seat, waiting for the other people to eventually fill up the room. He didn't know when Y/N would get to school, but surely, he could wait long enough for her./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em… right?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"When he checked the time on his clock, he realized it was only seven in the morning. Class didn't start until an hour later. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Of course Y/N would not be here this early. Anyone with half a brain cell would know to rather come later than earlier to school./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He groaned in frustration and put his head into his hands. He was already feeling tired. The thought of the sticky note had kept him up until one in the morning and he hadn't fallen asleep until two. As a result, he had barely gotten four hours of sleep./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why am I so dumb…" he mumbled to himself. "Why am I even here?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Karma-kun, I'm going to go to Italy for some fresh gelato," Koro-sensei said. "Stay in here… or just go back home and sleep."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The redhead just waved his teacher off dismissively and placed his head on his arms on his desk. Soon, his eyelids fluttered closed over his eyes, and he was sent to dreamland. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe woke up floating in an inch of water. Blinking, he realized he couldn't see the sun everywhere he looked. The sky was a cloudy grey, and nothing could be seen for miles. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emKarma sat up slowly, turning his head every which way. There was nothing to see besides water everywhere./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"Where am I…?" he asked. "I don't recognize this…"/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"Hey, Karma-kun, you're awake now."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe raised his head at the sound of his name, and saw Y/N. She was walking towards him, wearing a billowing white dress that was just above the water. Her light footsteps made ripples in the water, and Karma focused on the way the water moved outwards./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"What's going on?" he asked. "I… I don't understand."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em Y/N bent down to his level and shook her head gently. The ends of her dress dipped into the water and stained it. "No, you don't need to understand anything. Just be in the moment with me."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHer hand rested on his shoulder and suddenly he felt ten again, the last time he had felt completely secure. Anything that had been a complication in his mind before was now erased, replaced by a serenity that he barely ever achieved. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe gazed into his eyes, keeping the contact for as long as she could. Karma didn't think he could even look away. Every so often, her hand on his shoulder would move a few inches down from his shoulder to his chest, his stomach, and then finally down to his hands in his lap. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHer hands were warm, warmer than his./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"I'm fine," she whispered. "Don't worry about me."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"But… you look so sad all the time—"/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em"It's how I am, Karma-kun." she gave him a sad smile. "I've always been like that. If I can't do anything about it, you can't either."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emKarma retracted his hands from hers and instead cupped her face between his palms. "No. I will do something about it. At least I will know I tried."/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He woke up to the feeling of someone poking his cheek. He let out a small groan and turned away, only to feel the same poking again. Mentally screaming, he opened his eyes blearily to see Koro-sensei at his side, poking his cheek with one tentacle. "You can't sleep in class, Karma-kun! What happened to getting here early?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma waved him off. "Shut up. I'm tired."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Hey! You have to learn—"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"To effectively get the octopus off his back, he lashed out with the knife. The octopus dodged out of the way and Karma drooped back down onto his desk, closing his eyes again. "I'll learn when I want to."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Koro-sensei sighed and slithered back to the front of the classroom. "That, class, was a prime example of what not to do in class. Karma-kun, we all applaud you for your excellent demonstration."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emNo problem./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He tuned out the rest of what Koro-sensei had to say and instead focused on trying to fall asleep again. His sleep was disturbed yet again when something slid underneath his arm. "What is it now?" he muttered under his breath. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and raised an arm to see a note. Confusion arose in his head. "What's this?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Opening it, he read it in his head./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"i know you gave me the note. you don't need to. i'm fine./span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"but thanks anyway. it was nice of you to care, even though/span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"we barely know each other./span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"you seem like a nice person. i hope your day is good too./span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"~ blue angel/span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"A genuine smile graced his lips. He sent a sideways glance to Y/N and noticed her looking at him. When she caught his gaze, a small smile formed on her face. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emCute./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For the rest of the day, he couldn't keep even a slight smile off his face./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emMaybe he would keep on sending those notes./em/p 


	4. write

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Though two weeks had passed since he had given her that first note, they hadn't had much interaction. Sure, he sent her notes every morning, filled with cheesy pick-up lines and positive messages, but they never talked besides an "oh, hey" or a "sorry, I didn't see you there."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma didn't go to class. Koro-Sensei had told them ahead of time that they were going to spend the day doing a lab experiment that would include a piece of aluminum foil and some blue liquid. They had done this experiment last year, and the year before that, and honestly, it was getting tiring./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"So he didn't go./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He instead spent the day outside. The sun was finally out and shining, and the sky was a clear blue he had not seen in a long time. Laying on his back, he felt the sun warm his face gently, giving him the sense of warmth and security he rarely felt around others./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He wasn't much of an open person. Even Nagisa, his best friend, didn't know a lot about him. Karma never really told anyone anything if he didn't have to. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"But right then, all he wanted to do was to give in and spill every little detail about himself to someone, so that they might comfort him and give him a hug. His parents were not big on affection, and as a result, neither was he. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHow could he tell someone everything about himself?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emIt would label him as weak./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emAkabane Karma was not weak. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Hey, Akabane-kun, you're here too?" a sudden voice jarred him out of his thoughts and he sat up, looking around./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N was perched on the lowest branch of the tree closest to him, staring at him with an undefinable gaze. How she found him, he didn't know. Karma thought that he was the only one who knew about the clearing in the middle of the forest. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Uh… yeah, I am," Karma replied awkwardly. "How'd you get here?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas the rest of the class looking for him?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She gave him a one-shoulder shrug. "I don't know. I skipped class and decided to wander around, and then I got lost and saw you."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emOh./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emSo she wasn't with the rest of the class./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emGood./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe didn't want to deal with them just yet./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Aren't you going to go back to class?" Karma asked. "I mean, you're going to get marked absent, and I don't think you want your first absence in E Class. You might not get to go back into A Class ever again."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""No. I don't want to go. I kinda like this class more."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He nodded and laid back down on the grass, staring up at the sky. A cloud or two had slightly blocked the sun, so he could gaze at the sky without blinding his eyes. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N broke the brief silence./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I… just wanted to tell you thanks."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He turned his head towards her and saw that she was now sitting on the grass beside him, tilting her head up to the sky as well./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emPretty./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""What for?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You know." she shrugged. "The notes you keep on giving me. We barely even know each other, yet… you're still looking out for me. Thanks for that. I don't think anyone has ever done that for me before."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""It's nothing," he reassured. "That's just what I do sometimes, for friends. If you ask Nagisa-kun, he'll tell you about all the times I've comforted him with nice notes."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I did ask him once, actually." A small chuckle escaped her lips and Karma found himself smiling because of it. Her laugh wasn't melodious, as most people would describe, but rather it was genuine and grew in volume. emHe liked it more than music/em, he discovered. "He said that the only time you gave him a note was when he was scared of failing a test, and the only thing it said was 'you better do good or I'm kicking you out of the house'."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma smirked. "He's just hiding the real message. Besides, it got him the 100 he wanted, so in the end, who wins anyway?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N laid down beside him and raised a hand to the sky. "You're very easy to talk to, you know?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas he?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe didn't notice./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Am I?" he asked. "Maybe it's because of my charm. Everyone loves the brooding charisma I exude."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""No, that's not it, Akabane-kun," Y/N said. He heard humour in her voice. "You don't ask questions and you listen well. I like that. Maybe that's why Shiota-kun and Kayano-chan come to you when they need help."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Maybe."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"They laid side-by-side in silence for some time, just looking up at the sky. Karma glanced at the girl by his side every so often, smiling every time he saw the sunlight shine across her eyes or warmed her skin to display her melanin. A few times he caught her looking over at him, but never did they keep eye contact for long. She always glanced away before he could fully meet her eyes./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It was only fifteen minutes later that Y/N fell asleep. Karma wouldn't have even noticed that she had fallen asleep if he hadn't nudged her to show her a small bird flying across the sky. When he realized she wasn't just dozing off but actually sleeping, he sat up. Her head was turned to one side, and her hands were carelessly thrown over her stomach./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma slid his phone out of his pocket and checked the time./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em3:49pm./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"School would end soon, and the two of them needed to leave before the others would find them./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Hey, Y/L/N-san, wake up," he muttered. "We can go home now."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Poking her cheek, he repeated his lines six or seven more times before she groaned and pushed his hand away. "Go away, mom," she mumbled. "I want to sleep."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""No, you have to wake up. It's time to go home."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Stop…" Y/N's eyes had closed once again. "You said I could sleep as much as I wanted after his death!"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emDeath?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"His hand retreated from her face as he processed her words. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhose death?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHer father's?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHer sibling's?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emA relative's?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emA close friend's?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emJust what had she gone through before coming to E Class?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Swallowing lightly, he cleared his thoughts. Then, he nudged her with more force, almost rolling her onto her other side. "Come on, Y/L/N-san! Let's go home!"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"When she finally woke up, she pouted at him. "You don't wake me up like that."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""We have to go home. School's over and I don't want Koro-sensei coming after us and yelling about why we didn't come to class. I'll save that for tomorrow."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N nodded and got up, brushing the grass from her back. "I'll see you tomorrow."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah. See you tomorrow."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma watched her leave, and the thoughts began to swirl around him once more, about the mystery surrounding someone's death./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe had to find out who./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"In the midst of those horrid thoughts, he remembered just one thing that happened that wasn't negative. Despite what he had learned from her sleepy mumbling, a small soft beam glittered across his face./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emY/N had finally called him using his name./em/p 


	5. one

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"When he opened the door, ready to leave and get to class, Y/N was standing right outside. Karma stumbled back a few steps, his mind going blank for a moment. His hand involuntarily tightened on the doorknob as he came back to his senses. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Oh my god, Y/L/N-san, how did you find my house?" His eyes were incredulous. Y/N was still standing outside, trying to peer into his house. Feeling a bit self-conscious, he quickly closed the door behind him and locked it. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I asked Shiota-kun."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emOf course she did./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Did he actually give you my address — wait, of course he did. Damn, Nagisa-kun," Karma sighed. "What for? I don't want random people coming to my front door all the time."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N had the audacity to look offended. "I'm not just some random person! And he wouldn't tell everyone. I just bribed him with math homework answers. You can call it… 'bargaining'."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Why are you here?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"At that, she quieted. Looking down, she toed the ground around her. "You know… friends walk to school together… and I think we're friends…"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The corner of his lips quirked up into a smile./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe was so unpredictable./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Really?" he tilted his head questioningly. "Then, we should get to class, shouldn't we?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N's head whipped up faster than he thought possible. Her eyes were wide with surprise. "You want to walk to school with me?" /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He turned up his palms. "I mean, you're already here, so… and it's always nicer to be with a friend than be alone all the time."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She nodded and they began their trek to the class on the top of the mountain./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Say, why do you call Shiota-kun by his first name?" Y/N asked, when they were halfway up the mountain. Karma looked over at her through the corner of his eye. "Everyone in E Class calls him by his first name. Is there a specific reason?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma shrugged. "He prefers being called by his first name, I guess. He doesn't… really like his last name all that much."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was he telling her this?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emThis wasn't his business; it was Nagisa's. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There was a flash of quiet fear in her eyes. "Oh no. Have I been calling his name wrong then?" /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He quickly waved his hand side to side. "No, you didn't know! Just call him Nagisa-kun from now on. It's fine; you're new. I don't think he really cares right now, because you barely know him."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I guess so," Y/N murmured. "I've heard stories about him, when I was in A Class. Asano-kun always talked about Shio— Nagisa-kun like he was someone below him, and he always used his last name. I might have... picked up on his bad habit accidentally."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emAsano./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHis one rival./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"A frown immediately crawled across his face at the name. The chairman's son was the definition of perfect. He had perfect grades, a pelasant personality, and pretty looks. Everyone at the school had all taken at least two glances at him before walking past him, whether they were a boy or a girl or an unidentified fruit seller. Hundreds of girls would willingly jump off a cliff for him if it meant that he would smile at her again./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"No one, not in the senior classes or the junior classes, could beat the sheer perfection of Asano. No one else in the entire school was as perfect as him./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma hated it./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I see." His tone was now curt and unfeeling./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emSo she was one of those kinds of girls./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""But I really don't understand why he would do something like this," Y/N continued, as if he had never spoken. "It's not like anyone is below each other, anyway... I think Nagisa-kun beats him in the friendly category."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"em... /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHuh?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You don't think Asano-kun is the best, most nicest, handsomest, most perfect person ever?" Karma turned to her, the shock evident now in his voice. "Are you sure you're okay?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N rolled her eyes. "Shut up. But, yeah. I really don't think so. I don't see what the other girls see in him. Sure, he's smart and all, but he's stuck up. He isn't even that good-looking."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma let out a small huff of laughter. "So you think someone is better-looking than him?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emSo she wasn't one of those kinds of girls./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She shook her head. "No, definitely not. Honestly… Isogai-kun is cuter. Or Maehara-kun. Or Nagisa-kun. Or you, too. You're pretty hot."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Of course I am." /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Although the words that came out of his mouth were cocky and arrogant, Karma surely was not cocky and arrogant on the inside. He knew to some degree that he was better-looking than the average male at his school, and he had once or twice gotten confession letters from girls, but he never thought himself as hot. And definitely he had never thought he could be hotter than Asano, of all people. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You don't seem like you believe that," Y/N commented suddenly. Karma glanced at her, still mildly surprised how she could perceive other's emotions so well. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He shrugged, feeling the weird sense of opening up to something else other than his mind. "Yeah, well… no one's really said anything like that to me, or anyone in E Class. So we don't really believe it ourselves."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"They had stopped walking, about fifty meters away from the entrance of the classroom./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Listen to me." Her eyes held his gaze, and he saw dark pools of emotion swirling inside her irises. Her hand was clutched around the strap of her bag and he noticed little flyaway hairs on the top of her head. "I never say things like this to random people, so remind yourself that you're a special snowflake if you get one of these positive messages from me."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat was she going to do?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I don't understand why all of E Class don't think they're pretty, handsome, beautiful, extravagant," she began. Her eyes brightened, catching the glow of the sun rising. emBeautiful./em "Look at Nakamura-chan. She's got the whole look I've always wanted — long legs that could go on forever, a bright happy smile, and a knack for winking that only a select few can do. Not to mention her personality. If there's anything that could represent the sun other than the actual sun itself, it would be her."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Isogai-kun — every time I look at him, I almost melt. His hair is a deep brown, so brown that it looks almost black in the sun. I've always wanted that sort of hair, but no, I'm stuck with my own bland h/c hair. And his eyes? Whenever he's talking about something he's passionate about, I can see it. I can see just how much he loves whatever he's doing or eating or laughing about."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Kayano-chan — her laugh is like golden chimes. It's so infectious. Even if I don't know what she's laughing about, I still laugh along too, because there's nothing I like hearing more than her laugh. She's so… so empure/em, and being with her makes me feel so refreshed. I don't know. If Nakamura-chan is the sun, then Kayano-chan is water. I feel so much more alive around her."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""And you," she said quietly. "Karma-kun."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Even if he told himself that he didn't care whether her review of him was bad or good, he did still care. His heart was in his throat despite the nonchalant face he had on. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat did she think of him?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Really, you're so ethereal it's hard to find words to describe you with," Y/N said. "You don't really notice this, but I do look at you sometimes. Especially when the sun is setting and we're about to leave school to go home. The sun — the sun is setting, and… it creates a soft glow around you. Even though you've probably gotten into detention more times than I can count on both hands, and even though you've done some unspeakable things, all that gets erased when the sun sets on you. All I see when I look at you then is literally… an angel."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emOh./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWow./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He really had no words./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""And that's not all," Y/N rushed. Her face was getting quite pink from everything she was saying about him. "Your golden eyes… honestly, if I could stare into your eyes forever I wouldn't need the constellations anymore. I legitimately wonder sometimes if your parents were thieves and stole the stars from the sky, because I can see so many different stars in your eyes. I envy your skin. Your liquid gold eyes. Your red hair. emEverything/em."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There was a soft silence between the two of them as Y/N took a few moments to breathe. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You're beautiful," she said at last. Instead of trying to convince him of his own beauty with a strong almost demanding voice, her voice was now a quiet mumble. "Why can't you realize that?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma opened his mouth to reply, but closed it after a second. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He had never thought of himself that way, never even began to think like that. He hadn't thought his golden eyes were "emconstellations/em" or that he was "eman angel/em". He had always been called "ema demon/em" or "emevil/em" or "eman evil mastermind that could only do harm/em". /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emMaybe he did underestimate how truly beautiful E Class was./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emMaybe everyone in the class did, since they were the outcasts./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N exhaled heavily and gave him a small smile. "Anyway, that's just what I think. I don't know, really, if anyone else sees this. It's just… you guys are seen as the outcasts, but when in reality, you're actually outshining everyone else. I wish I could be like that, too, but it's okay. I guess I'll have to wait for myself."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She tilted her head in the direction of the school and asked, "We should go. Koro-sensei's waiting for us."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma nodded and they entered the school together./p 


	6. letter

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He couldn't stop thinking about how she had described him throughout the entire day. In fact, he had been so distracted that when Koro-sensei asked him to solve a basic mathematic equation, he had said the wrong answer./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"As he stared at the blackboard at the front of the classroom with unseeing eyes, his mind jumped from place to place. Although there was nothing jumping around in his chest that could have told him anything about the strange way he was acting, he was sure he wasn't feeling his best./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma let his eyes wander over to her for the tenth time in the past two hours. She had become already such a part of the class that her unoccupied seat looked foreign to him. Everyone had warmed up to her in the class, even Itona and Terasaka. On the daily at least a few people in the class would ask her to join them in eating lunch or doing homework./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For some reason, she always declined./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""emNo, it's fine/em," she would say. "emI'm alright here. Besides, I sit next to the smartest person in class, and I'm sure he can help me if I need help. If he doesn't help me, then I'll ask you guys./em"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She never asked for help./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N was bent over her desk, carefully drawing geometric shapes and patterns for their newest assignment. Karma had finished his a day ago, and left it behind at home. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Leaning over, he poked her cheek with the eraser end of his pencil. She flinched slightly, moving her head a little to the side to see what he was doing. However, she didn't say anything, and only turned back to her graph paper./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"A small frown appeared on his lips. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe was not affected by his tactics./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Keeping the pout on his face, he poked her cheek with the pencil again. She gave him no more of a reaction than she did last time. His pout deepened, and he kept on periodically poking her cheek with his pencil./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat was she getting at, trying to ignore him?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Finally, after what felt like forever but really was five minutes, she turned her head to face him and sighed. "What is it, Karma-kun?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Are you an alien?" he asked, his frown disappearing. A smile grew on his face, enough that he was sure she could see his sharp teeth. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N squinted at him in disbelief. "Uh… no, I'm not. Please get your eyes checked soon. You have really bad eyesight."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Because you've abducted my heart," Karma finished. When the realization dawned on Y/N that he had used a pick-up line on her, he could see her visibly inhale and exhale exasperatedly. A chuckle bubbled up from Karma's lips and he jokingly winked at her. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Stop," she pouted. "You're so annoying."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma studied her face. If he said that her face was completely normal, he would have been lying. His eyes were not perfect, but he was sure that there was the hint of a blush on her cheeks. "You know you love me."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N muttered something under her breath and turned away, a half-smile still showing on her face. "Shut up, Karma-kun."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"At lunch, she wasn't in school. Right when the second class was over for the day, she had gotten up from her seat and whispered something into Koro-sensei's ear. He nodded and let her leave, much to the dismay of Maehara. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She had accidentally left behind a scrap of paper, the little leaf flying to the ground in her haste. Y/N didn't notice she had dropped it and left the classroom without it. Karma would have left it alone, on the floor, had he not seen words on it./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Then, being the nosy boy he was, he picked up the piece of paper. He promised himself that he would not read it, but quickly changed his mind the moment he read the word 'death'./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas this related to what he had heard her say in her half-awake state?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"When the lunch bell rang and everyone was busy putting their books back into their backpack, Karma reached over to the paper and picked it up. His gold eyes scanned the piece of paper and his eyes widened./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— told me about the death too late. but it wasn't/em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— kaito had to help me through the pain. even though/em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— my fault. now i'm in a different class, because mom/em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— me to catch up after everything that happened. she/em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— couldn't cope with it by myself. jesus christ, i don't/em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"em— that i have a boyfriend./em/span/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma didn't know what to do with the extra information. It didn't give him enough to understand what was going on. The note only told him that she had a boyfriend, and that someone named 'Kaito' was helping her through the pain. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"For some reason, the boyfriend part made him uneasy. He couldn't figure out why. There was nothing between the two of them. He should have been cheering her on, because he was sure if he was trying to get a girlfriend, Y/N would cheer him on too./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was he so uncomfortable with the idea of her having a boyfriend?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He turned the paper over and there was one smudged out address./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emspan style="text-decoration: underline;"1-3-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to/span/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Shaking his head, he slid the piece of paper into his bag before slinging the bag onto his shoulder. He passed by Nagisa and when the blue-haired boy asked him where he was going, he simply replied, "I'm skipping the rest of the day to do something else."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Guilt was beginning to plague Karma. He almost never spent any time with Nagisa after meeting the enigmatic Y/N. He hadn't even spent that much time with him in the first place, choosing to let Nagisa's other friends take care of him. He had thought that this was the year that he would give his best friend and his other close friends more time, but that had turned out to not even happen./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"All because of her./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe had to find out more./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe had to find out what was causing her such pain./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe had to find out who died./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Flying down the mountain, he escaped into the city, looking for the address listed on the back of the page. There were many people milling around on the streets, some that were supposed to be in school like him but were out shopping. Karma saw none from his own school, giving him relief. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He glanced down at the scrap of paper once again. He was getting close to the address. HIs heart began to beat faster. His body filled with adrenaline. His footsteps began to get quicker and much more silent. The assassin inside of him sparked./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat was he going to find?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"By the time he got to the actual house, he was almost in full-assassin mode. Although he had no weapons on him besides his anti-sensei knives, he was sure his fists could solve any problem. People who he passed by barely even noticed him. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It was almost as if he was the wind./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The address on the paper was attached to the house in front of him. The building was huge. The double doors were made of a dark cherry wood, a material that he had only seen in pictures. Right above it sat a delicate portico with intricate designs woven into the stone. A balcony ran across the length of the house, above the portico. Figures moved around inside the large windows, picking up this and that./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emY/N came from such a rich family. /em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emIf her grades were perfect, and she was rich, she didn't need to be in E Class. She could have easily bought her way out of the class./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy didn't she?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"There were too many questions and not enough answers./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"As soon as Karma reached the front door, he heard voices. His heart jumped into his throat and he quickly manoeuvred his way around the side to get out of the peripheral view. The front door opened and a man and a woman walked out, arguing. The woman looked like an older version of Y/N, and the man Karma assumed was her husband. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emThese two were her parents, then?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"They continued walking and bickering until they got into a car and drove away. The front door closed and he heard the soft click of the lock being turned. He turned around, fitting himself in between the small space of the house and the fence. Squeezing his way to the other side of the house, he peeked out from his hiding spot. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"No one was in the backyard./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The gate was slightly open, however./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Judging from the number of trees outside her backyard, Karma guessed that there was either a park or a forest behind the house. His eyes scanned the backyard and zoned in on the gate before staring at the back door to the house./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"If he moved fast enough, he would be out of the backyard in about two seconds. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He would only need two seconds to be out of trespassing territory./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma swallowed hard, and ran./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHere went nothing./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He zipped across the grass, almost flying over it, and edged his way out of the gate. The second he was out of the backyard he let out a sigh. "I should be in class, but no, I'm trying to figure out a mystery. I should be a detective, if I wanted to solve mysteries like this…"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He ran into the park, looking around. There was no way he could be sure that Y/N was out, in this park especially, but he had to try. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Glancing around, he saw no one with the same bag she did./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Feeling automatically disheartened, he was about to turn around when he saw the flash of black skirt and a yellow sweater go behind a tall row of bushes. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe would know that skirt anywhere./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emThe sweater belonged to the junior high school they went to./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;" Karma raced after it, feeling his spirits lift once again. Hiding behind the tall row of bushes, he heard two soft voices./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""— so I could see you," a feminine voice said. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emY/N./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emThat was Y/N's voice./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Why?" a male voice. "You know I'll be okay by myself, sunshine."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emSunshine?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The male was her boyfriend, then./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Even though he knew, from the piece of paper, the confirmation still triggered something inside of him./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I worry, Kaito," Y/N said softly. "Since your health is… not as good as before."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""You don't need to. Take care of yourself first."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma peeked around the corner and saw Y/N hugging the male. "I'll come back tomorrow after school then. Please stay at home and rest for me, okay?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Of course."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhat was going on?/em/p 


	7. to

p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma quickly crept around the bush so he was hidden from sight, and sank to the ground. His knees felt like jelly all of a sudden, and he couldn't fathom why. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"It wasn't like him to be like that./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma was always the strong one in everything, from excelling in combat to getting the highest in math. There was not one weak cell anywhere in his body. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was he suddenly on the ground, then?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He was so intently staring at the ground that he completely missed out on the last words Y/N and her boyfriend were telling each other. When he heard the sound of them shuffling from their side, Karma panicked and quickly stood up, accidentally brushing the leaves. It created a rustling sound and he swore in his frantic mind./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Is there someone there?" Kaito asked, a question in his voice. "I really hope none of your family is here, Y/N-chan."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""No, they're not here for sure," she replied. "I made sure they left the house before I went to see you."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""We should go and check to make sure no one is there."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Yeah, okay."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma heard more footsteps and he only started moving when he saw a foot step out from behind the bush. Another foot and a pair of someone else's feet stepped out as well, and Karma quickly slid around the bush and hid on the other side./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The disappearing image of Y/N and Kaito's backs seared into his mind./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""There's no one here," Y/N commented. "It was probably the wind we heard, then."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The sound of their footsteps diminished and Karma was left alone. The cold of the breeze was beginning to prick at his skin through the fabric of his jacket. Although the sun was still outside, he couldn't help thinking about how cold it really was./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma really wanted to know what was going on, but the only way to do so would be to ask Y/N about it. She would definitely either deny his claims, avoid the question altogether, or defend herself. Groaning a little, he put his head into his hands./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was she hiding so much?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWeren't they friends?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""There's no use to keep on beating yourself over and over again about this," he muttered to himself aloud. "If she won't tell you, then just stop trying."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Even as he said the words, he knew he would never follow his own rules./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The next morning, Y/N wasn't in class early. She was always early to class, sitting at her desk prim and proper the moment he stepped inside the classroom. However, by the time Karma got to class with one minute to spare, her chair was still empty. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Surprised, Karma sauntered up to Koro-sensei and asked him where she was./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Oh, y'know." Koro-sensei waved his tentacle dismissively. "She's out in a family emergency. Don't worry; she's given me a note telling me about her absence today. Y/L/N-san will be back tomorrow."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"As he sat back down at his desk, he couldn't stop thinking about what she was doing, out there in the real world and not inside a classroom./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas she tending to her boyfriend's wounds?/emMaybe her boyfriend had accidentally hit his head and she was tending to him, helping him get better./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas she helping her family out of a debt?/emMaybe either one of her parents had gambled too much once and now she was trying to help them pay off their finances./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWas she taking a break to relieve her mental stress?/emMaybe she had gone through a lot as a child and school was too much for her to take on at one point in time./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma idly tapped his pencil against his desk and sighed for the fifth time./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emShe was such an enigma to him./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Nagisa, Kayano, Maehara, Isogai, and Okuda all walked out of class with him when the last bell rang for the day. Karma was still in his own world, half-listening to their conversation. He was about to walk right past the gravel field when Nagisa grabbed his arm. "Hey, Karma-kun," he mumbled, pointing to a group of people on the field. "Look. There's a fight."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Rolling his eyes, Karma prepared to tell Nagisa all the ways the people were fighting wrong, but as soon as he recognized who was fighting who, the words died in his throat. Y/N, facing off a larger, bulky-looking boy named Touma, was surrounded by a ring of people who wanted to see either side hurt. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Judging by how small she looked against him, it was clear to the audience who was going to get hurt./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""emNever/emsay that about him again," Karma heard Y/N say when he got closer./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Or what?" Touma sneered, making a face at her. "You'll fight my knees?"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Her eyes narrowed once again and Karma couldn't see the normal, quiet Y/N he had seen since he met her. There was a lethal flame to her, one that burned so brightly in her eyes that it could have set Touma's clothes on fire. It glowed a fiery blue, reflecting the colour of the sky, and made her look dangerous, deadly, and devastating./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emLike an assassin/em, he thought absent-mindedly. emShe was an assassin, for sure./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Shut up," she murmured. "You don't even know what's going on."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Touma only shrugged. "I don't need to. Your debilitated b—"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N punched him in the nose before he could finish his sentence. Blood trickled down from his nose, making two trails of blood course down over his lips. The red of the blood stained the gravel beneath Touma. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"The look on his face — one of shock, surprise, terror that a emgirl/emcould beat him — was priceless./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""That was for Kaito," Y/N said quietly. "Say anything bad about him again and I will break your bones."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"She turned and walked away. The people made an opening for her to leave. Karma started after her, not even noticing Nagisa calling for him to stay. /p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"He caught up with her just as she was about to enter the building again. "Hey, Y/N-chan! Hey!"/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N barely turned around at the sound of her name. "What is it, Karma-kun?" Her voice sounded wearier than he had ever heard before. In her voice, he could hear the pain of a thousand years, wrapped up in the body of a teenage girl./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""I was just…" he was at a loss for words. "I wanted to see if you were okay."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emHe never asked people if they were okay./em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emWhy was he doing it for her?/em/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;""Oh." Y/N nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Worry about emhim/emout there. He's got a nosebleed, and maybe a broken nose."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Karma walked side-by-side with her to the office, where she asked for a bag of ice and a bandages. The receptionist handed her what she needed without looking at either of them and they stepped into the medical office together. Closing the door behind them, Karma stared at Y/N as she carefully washed her hand and began to open the bandage./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Quickly, he stepped forward and helped her. Ripping the bandage package open, he took her hand in his. Her knuckles were bruised, and there was a large cut running across her knuckles, but the rest of her hand was still as smooth as ever./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Making sure not to hurt her too much, he carefully stuck the bandage on top of her cut and pressed a small kiss to it. "Kissing wounds helps them heal faster," he explained. "My mom told me."/p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Y/N couldn't even say anything. She only glanced away, a red blush evident on her cheeks. Karma smiled, feeling his chest warm up yet again./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"Seeing her flustered would always make him feel so happy inside./p  
p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"emBeautiful./em/p 


End file.
